Special Collections
Helen Keller Collection
Description: A collection featuring biographies and non-fiction books by and about Helen Keller. For books by and about other members of the deaf-blind community, visit: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/collection/194343 #disability
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Blind Rage
by Georgina KleegeAs a young blind girl, Georgina Kleege repeatedly heard the refrain, “Why can’t you be more like Helen Keller?” Kleege’s resentment culminates in her book Blind Rage: Letters to Helen Keller, an ingenious examination of the life of this renowned international figure using 21st-century sensibilities.
Kleege’s absorption with Keller originated as an angry response to the ideal of a secular saint, which no real blind or deaf person could ever emulate. However, her investigation into the genuine person revealed that a much more complex set of characters and circumstances shaped Keller’s life.
Blind Rage employs an adroit form of creative nonfiction to review the critical junctures in Keller’s life. The simple facts about Helen Keller are well-known: how Anne Sullivan taught her deaf-blind pupil to communicate and learn; her impressive career as a Radcliffe graduate and author; her countless public appearances in various venues, from cinema to vaudeville, to campaigns for the American Foundation for the Blind. But Kleege delves below the surface to question the perfection of this image.
Through the device of her letters, she challenges Keller to reveal her actual emotions, the real nature of her long relationship with Sullivan, with Sullivan’s husband, and her brief engagement to Peter Fagan.
Kleege’s imaginative dramatization, distinguished by her depiction of Keller’s command of abstract sensations, gradually shifts in perspective from anger to admiration.
Blind Rage criticizes the Helen Keller myth for prolonging an unrealistic model for blind people, yet it appreciates the individual who found a practical way to live despite the restrictions of her myth.
Helen in Love
by Rosie SultanThe astonishing and imaginative debut novel about Helen Keller and the man she loved
What comes to mind when you think of Helen Keller? Is it the deaf-mute wild child at the water pump outside her Tuscumbia, Alabama, home portrayed in The Miracle Worker or the adult activist for the rights of the disabled and women, the socialist who vehemently opposed war? Rosie Sultan's debut novel imagines an intimate part of Keller's life she rarely spoke or wrote about: her one and only love affair.
Peter Fagan, a reporter from Boston, steps in as her secretary when her companion Annie Sullivan falls ill. The world this opens up for her is not the stuff of grade school biographies. Their affair meets with stern disapproval from Annie and from Helen's mother, and when the lovers plot to elope, Helen is trapped between their expectations and her innermost desires. Sultan's courageous novel insists on Helen's right to desire, to human frailty--to be fully and completely alive.
Helen Kellar Jeevitha Gadha
by Nannapaneni MangadeviHelen Kellar Jeevitha Gadha is the life story of Helen Kellar simplified for students to understand about her life and experiences.
Prayers That Changed History
by Tricia GoyerOne prayer can change everything. Martin Luther. Sojourner Truth. Helen Keller. St. Patrick. We read their stories, and of other people like them, in history books, and hear about the amazing things they did to change the world. But one part of the story is often left out: Each one of them wouldn’t have accomplished what they did without prayer. In this book from bestselling author Tricia Goyer, the stories of twenty-five notable people are presented along with the major prayer that changed their lives, and changed history. Following each historical example is a biblical story that ties to that person’s life and actions, as well as ways you can use the power of prayer in your life as well. Because God isn’t done changing the world yet, and he would love to use you to make history. Includes images of each historical figure.
"Miracle Worker" and the Transcendentalist
by David WagnerHelen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, remain two of the best-known American women. But few people know how Sullivan came to her role as teacher of the deaf and blind Keller. Contrasting their lives with Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, the era's prominent abolitionist, this book sheds light on the gender and disability expectations that affected the public perception of Sullivan and Keller. This book provides a fascinating insight into class, ethnicity, gender, and disability issues in the Gilded Age and Progressive-Era America.
Helen Keller
by Stewart Graff and Polly Anne GraffFrom the age of a year and a half, Helen Keller could not hear. She could not see, and she did not speak. She lived in a dark and lonely world--until Annie Sullivan came to teach her. Annie traced letters and words in Helen's hand, and made Helen realize she could "talk" to people. Eager to make up for lost time, Helen threw herself into her studies. She decided to teach others about the special training deaf and blind children need. Helen traveled all over the globe and raised money to start up schools for deaf and blind children. Her courage and her determination to help others conquer the odds against them earned her the respect and admiration of the world.
I Am Helen Keller (Ordinary People Change the World)
by Brad MeltzerWe can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times Bestselling picture book biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer When Helen Keller was very young, she got a rare disease that made her deaf and blind. Suddenly, she couldn't see or hear at all, and it was hard for her to communicate with anyone. But when she was six years old, she met someone who change her life forever: her teacher, Annie Sullivan. With Miss Sullivan's help, Helen learned how to speak sign language and read Braille. Armed with the ability to express herself, Helen grew up to be come a social activist, leading the fight for people with disabilities and so many other causes.
Paarvaiyatra Mudhal Pattadhari Penn Helen Keller
by Yercaud ElangoHelen Keller is an example for self-confidence and perseverance. For her hard work, social service, education and equal rights, the world feted her. For the achievements of serving people by breaking the barriers by this Blind, deaf woman, people praised her as Wonder Woman. This book describes the wonderful lifetime achievements of this blind, deaf woman and by reading this book, the readers will get impulse to strive for the cause of social progress.
Helen Keller and the Big Storm
by Patricia LakinIt is a beautiful summer afternoon. Helen and her teacher have climbed a tree. While Helen waits for her teacher to get some snacks, a thunder storm strikes!
Helen Keller's Best Friend Belle
by Jennifer Thermes and Holly M. BarryMany know the story of Helen Keller's journey to learn to communicate. And many have heard of Anne Sullivan, the brilliant teacher who helped Helen understand. But have you ever heard about Belle the dog? In this new picture book biography of Helen Keller's early life, readers are introduced to her beloved dog, Belle, who is with Helen every step of the way!
Helen's Big World
by Doreen Rappaport and Matt TavaresThis picturebook biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential luminaries. With her signature style of prose laced with stirring quotes, Doreen Rappaport brings to life Helen Keller's poignant narrative. Acclaimed illustrator Matt Tavares beautifully captures the dynamism and verve of Helen Keller's life and legacy, making Helen's Big World an unforgettable portrait of a woman whose vision for innovation and progress changed America-and the world-forever.
The Radical Lives of Helen Keller
by Kim E. NielsenA political biography that reveals new sides to Helen KellerSeveral decades after her death in 1968, Helen Keller remains one of the most widely recognized women of the twentieth century. But the fascinating story of her vivid political life—particularly her interest in radicalism and anti-capitalist activism—has been largely overwhelmed by the sentimentalized story of her as a young deaf-blind girl. Keller had many lives indeed. Best known for her advocacy on behalf of the blind, she was also a member of the socialist party, an advocate of women's suffrage, a defender of the radical International Workers of the World, and a supporter of birth control—and she served as one of the nation's most effective but unofficial international ambassadors. In spite of all her political work, though, Keller rarely explored the political dimensions of disability, adopting beliefs that were often seen as conservative, patronizing, and occasionally repugnant. Under the wing of Alexander Graham Bell, a controversial figure in the deaf community who promoted lip-reading over sign language, Keller became a proponent of oralism, thereby alienating herself from others in the deaf community who believed that a rich deaf culture was possible through sign language. But only by distancing herself from the deaf community was she able to maintain a public image as a one-of-a-kind miracle.Using analytic tools and new sources, Kim E. Nielsen's political biography of Helen Keller has many lives, teasing out the motivations for and implications of her political and personal revolutions to reveal a more complex and intriguing woman than the Helen Keller we thought we knew.
Helen Keller in Her Own Words
by Caroline KennonThough Helen Keller became deaf and blind after a childhood illness in 1882, she grew up to be a renowned author, activist, and speaker. With the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Keller overcame major obstacles in her life and used them to become an advocate for those experiencing discrimination and hardship. This inspiring biography uses Keller's own words as a primary source, so that readers can better know and understand this amazing woman and leader.
Meet Helen Keller - An eStory
by Charles MargerisonBeing able to see and hear are gifts that many of us take for granted. In this inspirational title from The Amazing People Club, you will get to hear the amazing Helen Keller story. Follow her journey from early childhood where frustration, confusion and anger were part of her everyday life. Discover what made her go on to become the first deaf and blind person to earn her degree. Her motivations and fighting spirit led her to proceed to travel the world to educate people on politics and women's rights. Despite disabilities, she succeeded in many ways, making major contributions to our world. Her story comes to life through BioViews®. These are short biographical narratives, similar to interviews. They provide an easy way of learning about amazing people who made major contributions and changed our world.
Helen Keller
by Emma Carlson Berne and Marie HodgeHelen Keller lived in darkness and silence, but she dazzled the world with her accomplishments. Her powerful story lives on in this remarkable biography by Emma Carlson Berne. Find out about: the illness that destroyed young Helen s sight and hearing; her explosive first meeting with her teacher Annie Sullivan; her struggle to become the first blind/deaf student ever awarded a degree from prestigious Radcliffe College; the romance that almost led to marriage and her life as writer, lecturer and world traveller.
¿Quién fue Helen Keller?
by Gare Thompson and Nancy HarrisonA los dos años, Helen Keller quedó sorda y ciega. Ella vivía en un mundo de silencio y la oscuridad. Pero con la ayuda de la maestra Annie Sullivan, Helen aprendió a leer, escribir y hacer muchas cosas extraordinarias. Esta biografía inspiradora es perfecta para los jóvenes lectores. Dibujos en blanco y negro, barras laterales sobre temas relacionados, tales como Louis Braille, una cronología, y una bibliografía mejorará la comprensión de los lectores sobre el tema.
Helen Keller
by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. NoyedA phonics-based nonfiction book for level-two beginning readers, providing information about Helen Keller, a woman who achieved great things even though she could not see, speak, or hear. Includes an index and a list of books and Web sites for further study.
Helen Keller
by Grace NorwichMeet the extraordinary young woman who learned to read, write, and speak—even though she was deaf and blind.I am two years old when I become deaf and blind. I live in a world of darkness. I am finally able to read and write with the help of my teacher Annie Sullivan. I am Helen Keller.Learn all about this remarkable young woman whose accomplishments are truly inspiring, with this biography including:illustrations throughouta timelinean introduction to the other people you’ll meet in the book, including Helen’s amazing teacher and the men who fell in love with hermapssidebarsa top ten list of important things to know, and more
Helen Keller
by Kim E Nielsen“[My life] is so rich with blessings—an immense capacity of enjoyment, books, and beloved friends. . . . Most earnestly I pray the dear Heavenly Father that I may sometime make myself far more worthy of the love shown to me than I am now.”—April 22, 1900 letter from Helen Keller to John Hitz, AFBWhen Helen Keller died in 1968, at the age of eighty-eight years old, she was one of the most widely known women in the world. The overnight success of her biography, The Story of My Life, written at age twenty-three, made it obvious to Keller that she was endowed with a gift for writing and speaking. As she got older, she increasingly began to do both on a variety of subjects extending beyond her own disability, including social, political, and theological issues.Helen Keller: Selected Writings collects Keller’s personal letters, political writings, speeches, and excerpts of her published materials from 1887 to 1968. The book also includes an introductory essay by Kim E. Nielsen, headnotes to each document, and a selected bibliography of work by and about Keller. The majority of the letters and some prints, all drawn from the Helen Keller Archives at the American Foundation for the Blind in New York, are being published for the first time.Literature, education, advocacy, politics, religion, travel: the many interests of Helen Keller culminate in this book and are reflected in her spirited narration. Also portrayed are the individuals Keller inspired and took inspiration from, including her teacher Annie Sullivan, her family, and others with whom she formed friendships throughout the course of her life.This often charming collection revels in and preserves Keller’s public and private life, coming to us in the year which marks the 125th anniversary of her birthday.
How I Would Help the World
by Helen Keller and Ray SilvermanHelen Keller's life was deeply changed when she began to read the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg in braille. Referring to him as "one of the noblest champions true Christianity has ever known," she said, "Swedenborg's message has been my greatest incitement to overcome limitations." Certainly, Helen Keller did much to help the world. But she felt she could help the world most by sharing with others the inspiration that came to her through reading Swedenborg's books. "Were I but capable," she said, "of interpreting to others one-half of the stimulating thoughts and noble sentiments that are buried in Swedenborg's writings, I should help them more than I am ever likely to in any other way. It would be such a joy to me if I might be the instrument of bringing Swedenborg to a world that is spiritually deaf and blind." Her essay, How I Would Help the World, is her attempt to do this. It is accompanied by an introduction by scholar Ray Silverman elucidating Helen Keller's spiritual process. This glimpse into the spiritual life of Helen Keller provides inspiration for those who may have wondered how she was able to find the strength and courage to overcome her triple handicap. Pictures of Helen Keller and direct quotations from the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg accompany her poignant words.
Optimism
by Helen KellerHelen Adams Keller was an American writer and social activist; an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) at the age of 19 months left her deaf and blind. No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels that happiness is his indisputable right. It is curious to observe what different ideals of happiness people cherish, and in what singular places they look for this well-spring of their life. Many look for it in the hoarding of riches, some in the pride of power, and others in the achievements of art and literature; a few seek it in the exploration of their own minds, or in search for knowledge. Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, - if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing. Helen Keller was left blind and deaf by a terrible disease at the age of 19 months, trapped in a shell of incomprehensibility. With the help of Annie Sullivan, she was able to overcome these handicaps and educate herself. Shortly after her autobiography, My Story, appeared in 1900, this book on Optimism was also published.
Helen Keller
by Leslie GarrettTells the inspirational tale of this spirited crusader. In this groundbreaking new series, DK brings together fresh voices and DK design values to give readers the most information-packed, visually exciting biographies on the market today. Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts, definitions of key words, and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives that students will love to read.
A Girl Named Helen Keller
by Margo LundellRead about the life of a blind and deaf girl who brought hope to other people in the world.
Who Was Helen Keller?
by Gare Thompson and Nancy HarrisonAt age two, Helen Keller became deaf and blind. She lived in a world of silence and darkness and she spent the rest of her life struggling to break through it.
But with the help of teacher Annie Sullivan, Helen learned to read, write, and do many amazing things. This inspiring illustrated biography is perfect for young middle-grade readers.
Black-and-white line drawings throughout, sidebars on related topics such as Louis Braille, a timeline, and a bibliography enhance readers' understanding of the subject.